


Seven years later

by Ghostfriendly



Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: Cheesy romance, F/M, Post-Series, Slaine week 2016
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 16:05:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5749498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostfriendly/pseuds/Ghostfriendly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'New Beginnings' prompt for Slaine week 2016, sorry for lateness, busy week. Post-series.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seven years later

Once upon a time, there was a wicked Princess–she tried to be the good Princess, but that was her crime. Seven years, since her fairy-tale kingdom fell. Years of doctors, dead white corridors and howling despair. Months screaming and straining towards her first feeble steps. Her sister, the good Princess, saw that her legs were healed, and nobody hurt her. Now she was free for a new beginning. But what could she begin? On Earth, she had had no skills, no home, nobody. A kind, blue-eyed nurse had said he loved her. But she had given her heart to one man, after a life of being used and lied to–and been his tool. No one else in the world could be worth that pain.

She learnt to use a computer, saved some money, and went walking on her revived legs. She watched gulls wheel over the North Sea, and danced barefoot in Earth’s sunlit forests. Tokyo, the Caucasus, Stockholm, Cambridge, Belfast. Every place he had lived on Earth with his father–the boy with snow-white hair, and eyes bleak as the sea. Every bird and tree was named in his voice. Every sight that brought a smile, she dreamt, he had smiled on too.

All the therapists said he’d abused her. The kindest boy she’d known, though he’d never opened his kindness to her. He’d had to be strong; she’d needed his strength. And now he would never hurt her again, because he was dead. Ahead of her, with a breeze across his hair, smiling from every meadow and clifftop–in her dreams, and might that not be the only place of his happiness?

They said she should make a new beginning. But she would rather bind herself to a ghost than fall, unfettered, into outer space.

Every distance on Earth was so much greater; sometimes she forgot her new legs were only flesh. In Belfast–rather than trudge back to an empty hotel room, under the eyes of multiple Intelligence agencies–she walked into what she’d heard called a pub. Dropped her rucksack and beret on the coach beside her.

The drinking and noise, she was ready for, but not the laughter. Faces glowed like stars with fellowship and ease. While the wicked Princess still watched distant stars, from the shadows.

“Are you alone, Highness?”

“I…” Her voice almost cracked with disuse. “I should be used to it. Wait, why–?”

The lights above her wheeled like fireworks in space. It was him. Seven years. Her world had shattered again.

-0-

“Slaine. You have to leave. Vers, UFE, they’re both observing me–”

“Don’t worry, Highness. They know I’m still alive.”

He had on a simple white cardigan, a baseball cap and sunglasses. His mouth was still and grim as in the tensest days of war.

“What about the Orbital Knights? They have spies on Earth, you have to go!”

“Forgive me. I couldn’t leave you alone, like this–”

A hand fell on Slaine, and spun him around. Drunken breath wafted around him.

“Oy! She doesn’t want any. Got that, ya Brit w–?”

Count Troyard, the villain once again, might have played out the part on the local’s skull–if Lemrina, with a burst of laughter, hadn’t leapt up, spun Slaine back round again and kissed him.   

Gasping, she realised that a bar full of strangers were cheering them, and Slaine’s glasses had come away from….his eyes? As they drifted towards the door, and through glowing streets, she could not look away from them.

-0-

Lemrina could immediately tell Slaine had spent years in prison. His flat was undecorated, his possessions sparse, neat and closely huddled. There was a bible on the nightstand, and a sleek black cat to welcome Slaine home. He petted it quickly, made her a cup of tea, and then greeted it properly before making his own.

“This is Harklight, your Highness.”

“What…the cat?”

“Yes.” His smile was painful and brief, “I thought I could take my turn to serve him.”

“Oh…”

Lemrina still couldn’t look away. Seven years ago, Slaine’s eyes had been ice, bright and unyielding. But now his feelings, his pains and his passions swam there freely–and they were everything she’d ever dreamt they’d be. Her heart was racing, as she pushed some kind of cat toy from her chair, and sat down.

“Ah…the ponytail suits you, Slaine.” She finally managed, “So…what are you doing, now?”

“I work in the pet shop on Donegall Street, Highness; there are some beautiful parrots and macaws. They offered me a duty manager post…but I told them I wasn’t ready for it. I volunteer at a dog shelter, and a soup kitchen in Shankill. I know it’s nothing to change the world…”

“No, it isn’t.” Lemrina’s eyes narrowed. “Are you sure it will make you happy?”

“More than I could ever deserve, Highness. And now I have seen you again, walking on your own feet. I believe nothing will ever give me more happiness than that.”

“My sister paid for the regeneration. What did she do for you…?” _Who else could have cracked that ice?_

His eyes were full of sadness, but no tormenting ghosts. Harklight the cat rubbed happily at Slaine’s leg.

“She saved me, again, Highness. She spared the life of a worthless villain and a traitor, so he could believe in God’s forgiveness, and begin again. Washed clean. So, I believe it has some meaning, to say…I am utterly sorry for all that I did to you seven years ago, Highness.”

“You apologised seven years ago.”

 “And sought my own death before your eyes. I am truly sorry for that. I will pray that you may begin a new life, outside the prison of blood and birth. I hope we meet again, one day.”

Seven years ago, Lemrina had watched Slaine vanish into a collapsing base. Her tears had been without end; even now, they nestled in her heart like splinters. Now, she stood up, and brought down her teacup so hard it broke, heart flashing between love and rage.

“Do you think you’ve changed, Slaine Troyard? Are you going to say sorry, and leave me again? You said you respected me! You said you understood my pain, but no one gives me more pain than you! I’d love you, if you were ten times worse–but what you did to me still hurts. I can’t forgive you like my sister, I need time…I need to begin again with you, Slaine! Whatever my sister, or the UFE say, I’m not letting you go!”

She fell down, clinging to his legs. Slowly, Slaine took her face in his hands and dried her tears.

“Princess, all I can ask of you is forgiveness. I can’t give you what you desire. Count Saazbaum-Troyard is dead–”

“Call me Lemrina. The Princess of Vers who loved that Count is dead too. I’ve seen the world, or at least a lot of its suffering; I know the boy who did so much for my sister could do so much more for them. Only, my sister just freed your heart; those prison years still have a chain on your soul. I might not be your Princess, but I can challenge you and know your strength. A life with you is the only new beginning I want.”

“Lemrina…” Slaine’s fingers moved over her lips, “If I could bring you happiness….it would be all I could ever want.”

The next day, perhaps, they would be parted forever. Even within them both, there would be problems. But for now, and they felt eternity in the words; Slaine was not alone, and Lemrina was home.


End file.
